Machine for packing bran



(No Model,) 3 Sheets-Sheet l. P. DORSEY.

MACHINE FOR PACKING BRAN, 850. N0. 320,052. Patented June 16, 1885.

N- FETER5 Phololmwgnpbcr, Wnhlngian, 11C.

(No Model.) 3 sheets -sheet 3. P. DORSEY.

MACHINE FOR PACKING BEAN, &c.

No. 320,052. f Patented June 16, 1885.

u. PETERS. Photo-Lithographer Wuhlngwn, n. c.

Darren Srarns arena Erica.

FREDERICK DORSEY, OF HAGERSTO\VN, MARYLAND.

MACHINE FOR PACKING BRAN, 86C.

SPEOIFICATIOI? forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,052, dated June 16, 1885.

(No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK DORSEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hagerstown, in the county of \Vashington and State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Packing Bran, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for parking or compressing bran and similar material into sacks for transportation, and may also be applied to the packing of wool, cotton, hops, 830.; and it consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter shown and described.

For the purpose of illustration I have shown one form of mechanism by which my inven tion may be applied, in which Figure l is a semisectional elevation of the machine complete. Fig. 2 is a detail in section of the screw-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan View, partially in section, of the turntable and the mechanism for operating it. Figs. 4 are perspective views, enlarged, of the sheet-metal receptacle-guards. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the auxiliary follower-plate. Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views of the packing cases and receptacles, illustrating more fully their construction. Fig. 8 represents enlarged sections of portions of the lower edges of the reservoirs and the upper edge of one of the packing-cases, illustrating the manner of arranging the locking bar, &c. Fig.9 represents enlarged perspective views of the upper ends of one of the lockingstraps. Fig. 10 represents an enlarged perspective view of one of the wrench-bars; and Fig. 11 is an enlarged detached perspective view of the lockbar.

The apparatus consists in a large bin or receptacle, A, for the bran or other material to be compressed, from the bottom of which a series of spouts, A, lead to a corresponding series of receivers or reservoirs, B, the latter arranged in regular order at equal distances apart around a common central shaft, 0.

D is a frame beneath the bin A, to the center of which the upper end of the central shaft, 0, is stepped, and D is a similar frame immediately beneath the frame D and supported upon a suitable foundation or on the floor of the building upon which the apparatus is erected, and in the center of this frame the lower end of the upright shaft 0 is stepped at a.

Any desired number of the reservoirs B may be used; but for the purpose of illustration I have shown in the drawings four reservoirs, with their corresponding feed-spouts,A

The two frames D D will be connected together by tie-rods D and struts D, so that they will retain fixed relations with each other.

The upper ends of the reservoirs B are arranged to slide in sleeves or spouts 13*, attached to the lower side of'the frame D, so that the reservoirs are free to be raised and lowered to a limited extent. The feed-spouts A are also arranged in two parts, one sliding over the other, so that communication between the feed-spouts and the reservoirs will not be broken by the adjustment of the reservoirs.

lVithin each of the reservoirs is arranged a follower-plate, E, and fixed in the top of each of the follower-plates is a large screw, F], the screws passing up through the frame D and into the bin A, and protected from the bran in the binby housings E.

Surrounding each of the screws E, and attached to the under side of the frame D, is a plate, F, having anti-friction rollers I) journaled on its under side in a circle around the screws, against which rollers the upper sur faces of beveled gears F are adapted to run, each screw having its own gear. By this means the upward thrust of the screws is borne by the rollers b and the friction greatly lessened.

Secured in the hub of each of these gears F is a brass nut, F", having an internal screwthread in which the threads of the screws E run.

Each of the screws E has a channel cut in it lengthwise, in which fixed stops (1 rest, (see Fig. 2,) so that the screws will be held from turning as the gears F revolve around them, while at the same time the revolution of the gears and their attached nuts F will cause the screws to run upward and downward, according to the direction in which the gears are revolved.

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' Attached to the upright shaft beneath the frame D, is a large beveled gear, G, adapted to engage with beveled pinions G on horizontal shafts G radiating outward toward the gears F On the outer ends of each of these shafts G3 is a beveled pinion, G, adapted to engage with one of the gears F The horizontal shafts G will be secured by suitable hearings on the struts D or by separate hangers from the frame D, and the bearings on one end of each shaft will be in the form of a slip'box, G supported by a key, G, so that by removing any one of the keys any one of the boxes G and shafts G will drop down and disengage the pinion Gr thereon from the gear G, to enable any one of the screws E to be thrown out of gear when required.

The central shaft, C, may be revolved in any suitable manner, it being desirable, however, that some means shall be employed whereby its motion may be quickly and easily reversed, so that the screws E may be run upward or downward at pleasure. It'is also desirable that the mechanism for revolving the shaft shall be so arranged that the screws may be run downward slowly and upward at an increased speed.

In running downward the screws are utilized to force the bran into the sacks, while in running upward'they are merely required to lift the follower-plates. above the discharge ends of the feed-spouts A; hence in running downward,where great resistance occurs,their speed must be much less than in running upward, where they meet with no resistance. I have shown in the drawings an approved method of accomplishing this desired result, consisting in a large band-wheel or drum, H, adapted to be revolved by a belt, and having an internal friction-surface, against which a friction-wheel, H, on a shaft, H is adapted to be pressed by a lever, H, or other means.

A beveled pinion, H is mounted upon the other end of said shaft H and adapted to engage with a beveled gear, H on the upright central shaft, 0.

The drum H also has a smaller internal drum or band-wheel, H, with an external friction-surface, against which the same friction pulley or wheel H is adapted to be forced by the same lever H". It will thus be readily seen that if the drum Hbe constantly revolv-. ing and the friction pulley H brought in con tact with the inner surface 'of the outer rim of the drum, the friction-pulley will be revolved in one direction, and, by its connection with the central shaft, 0, and the latter with the screws E through the gears and pinions, the screws will be revolved in the corresponding direction, while, on the other hand, if the friction-pulley H be brought in contact with the outer surface of the internal drum, H, the friction-pulley will be revolved in the opposite direction. Consequently the motion of the shaft 0 may be reversed, and the screws run up or down at pleasure by merely moving the friction-pulley H upward or downward. The motion of the double drum H H will be in a direction so that the inner drum, H, will act upon the friction-roller to run the screws downward and the outer drum to run them upward. The inner drum, being smaller in diameter than the outer drum, will act with less speed upon the friction-pulley than the outer drum; hence the screws will be run downward at a less speed than they are run upward.

A A represent the valves controlling the flow of material into the feed-spouts A from the bin A, and are placed on aline even with the floor of the bin.

The reservoirs B are each supplied with a glass-covered observation port or openings, 0. near their tops or on a line even with the feed-spouts A", so that the location of the bran in the reservoirs may be observed. In practice each of the valves A will be provided with a lever, by which it may be opened or closed from the floor below, and the operator, by observing the glass-covered openings 6, will be able to shutoff the supply of material as soon as a sufficient quantity has run into the reservoirs to fill the sacks below them.

Attached to the upper-side of the lower frame, D are two circular tracks, K K upon which weircular turn-table, L, is mounted by flanged wheels U, the center of this turntable L and the tracks K K being the center of the shaft 0'. The turntable is in the form of an annular ring, and so arranged below the reservoirs that as it is revolved it will pass directly beneath all the screws and the reservoirs. Mounted upon this turn-table are the frames or casings in which the sacks or re ceptacles for the compressed materials will be supported. These casings will be fixed to the turn-table in such positions that they will come exactly beneath each of the reservoirs in turn as the turn-table revolves. As manyof these casings may be used as desired, according to the size of the turn-table; but, generally,'just double the number of the casings will be used as there are reservoirs and screws, so that while one set ofthe casings is being filled the compressed packages may he removed from the next set. I have shown in the drawings arrangements for eight sack-supporting cases and four reservoirs and their screws. The casings will be constructed in substantially the same manner as in the patent granted to J. E. Belt on June 19, 1883, and numbered 279,854, except that instead of being mounted upon wheels or trucks to run upon' tracks they are secured to the turn-table L. The casings will be provided with supportingstraps and hinged at their corners, and adapted to be opened to remove the compressed packages. In the drawings, I represents the sides, 9 the straps, and g the clamping eccentrics or cams by which the sides are held together, as in the Patent No. 279,854, above referred to.

The lower edges of the reservoirs B are IIO are

adapted to rest in grooves or in a channel, h, in the top of each of the casings I. As before stated, the reservoirs B are adapted to be raised and lowered around the stationary portions 13* at their upper ends, and they will be provided with springs by which they will be held down on top of the casings with some degree of force, but at the same time be free to permit them to be raised when desired; or they may be arranged to be locked down to the tops of the casings.

Projecting upward from the tops of the channels it, in which the lower ends of the reservoirs 13 rest, are a series of pins,h-, over which the sacks M for holding the bran will be caught, and thereby suspended in the easings, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and S.

\Vithin each of the casings I is set a strap, N, passing across the bottom and up each side, the straps setting in grooves in the casings with the inner surfaces of the straps flush with the inner surfaces of the casings, so that no part of the straps projects beyond the general surface of the casings.

In the bottoms of the casings, between the bottoms of the sacks M and that part of the strap N which lies across the bottom of the casing, is an auxiliary plate, I, to form a support to the bottom of the sack when it is removed from the casing.

The upper ends of the straps are provided with hinged latches or dogs at, these latches projecting upward above the upper edge of the casings and into cavities a formed for them in the lower part of the reservoirs B. These cavities a will be covered on the inside of the reservoirs with sheet-metal plates a so that the bran will not enter the cavities or be forced therein by the follower-plate in its descent. In one end of each of these latches a notch, in, is formed.

The follower-plate attached to the bottom of the screw consists of a metal plate or head, E, to the lowerside of which an auxiliary follower-plate, E, is adapted to be attached by pins 1!, or other means that will enable the auxiliary plate to be quickly and easily connected to and disconnected from the metal head E. The cover M to the sack M is wrapped around this auxiliary plate E before it is attached to the head E, and when the two plates are connected together by the pins 15 the cover M will be held by its edges between them, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Through this auxiliary plate E a channel, a, is formed, which will come opposite to the notches m in the latches on when the follower-plate E and auxiliary plate E are forced down as far as it is intended they shall go, as shown in Fig. 6, so that a holding-bar, 20, may be passed through the notch m in one latch in, then through the channel a in the plate E, and then through the notch m in the other latch, m, to form a lock to connect the latches mm and the straps N, to which they are connected, and the auxiliary plate E together. After this is done the follower-plate E may be disconnected from the auxiliary plate, and the compressed paclc age removed from the casing, the auxiliary plate forming a support to the cover M of the receptacle M, and the strap N and the latches m in, being held fast thereto by the loclcbar 20, will firmly hold the package until the cover M is sewed fast to the body of the receptacle. A wrench-bar, It, (shown in Fig. 10,) is then placed over the ends of the latches in m, and the latter pulled off from the holding-bar 20, which will release the auxiliary plate from the sack M.

Across the upper sides of the channel a small strap a will be secured to hold the bar in in the channel, so that the reaction of the bran when the strain is removed by the releasing of the latches by the wrench-bar R will not throw the holding-bar w upward out of the channel, as it otherwise would.

The material used for the reception of the bran in this machine is of a coarse quality of fabric and presents too rougha surface to ena ble the bran to be pressed down into it read ily; and to insure the bran running down freely into the receptacles, I suspend from the upper. edge, h, of each casing I two sheetmetal plates, T T with turned-over edges 0 if, one plate fitting on each side of the strap N, and with their edges 1; c on the edges of the receptacle in the grooves h. I thus accomplish two important results first, the plates T T, by their bent-over edges '0 o", press down upon the edges of the sack all around the casing and form an additional holding force, which prevents the downward pressure of the bra-n from tearing the sacksloose from the pins If; and, second, the plates T T present a smooth surface to the bran when being pressed into the sacks. These plates T T need only project down into the sack for a short distance, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and S, as the downward pressure of the bran upon the sides of the lower parts of the sack is nominal, and the resistance of the sack is not sufficient to materially interfere with the compression.

After the follower-plate is attached to the sack by the lock-bar w and the compressed receptacle removed from the casing, the plates T T may be withdrawn before the cover M is secured to the body M of the sack.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1.' In a bran-packer, a casing adapted to support the bran-receptacle, a strap, N, encompassing said receptacle on its sides and bottom and provided on its upper end with latches in, having open notches of, followerplate E, having the cover M of said reccptacle attached to its lower side, and a holdingbar, w, adapted to be placed across the top of said follower-plate and with its ends resting in said open notches substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the casing holding the bran-receptacle M, of the strap N,

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having the notched latches m m on its upper ends and encompassing said receptacle, supporting-plate P, follower-plate E, having the channel a and straps a and holding-bar 10, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the casing holding the bran-receptacle M, of the strap N, encompassing said receptacle on its sides and bottom, and the plates T T having turned-over edges 1) v, resting upon the upper edges of said receptacle, each of said plates adapted to fit down into said receptacle on each side of said strap, substantially as set forth.

4. In a bran-packer, a central shaft, a turntable adapted to be revolved about said shaft as a center and supporting a number of branreceptacles, a bin above said turn-table and shaft, a series of reservoirs above said bran receptacles and connected by suitable feedspouts with said bin, and a screw having a follower plate in each of said reservoirs and adapted to be so connected to said central shaft that all of said screws may be run upward and downward Within said reservoirs at the same time to force the bran within said reservoirs into said receptacles, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the bin A, frame D,

reservoirs B, feed-spouts A connecting said reservoirs and bin, screws E having followerplates E, gears F having nuts F fitting said screws, and plates F, having friction-rollers b, against which said gear revolves, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the bin A, frames D D", connected by struts and rods D D, central shaft, 0, reservoirs B, suspended from said frame D and connected to said bin by feed-spouts A screws E having followerplates E, and gears F means for connecting said gears with said central shaft, constantlyo revolving double drum H H", friction-pulley H connected by shaft H and gears H H to said central shaft, turn-table L, mounted upon tracks K K on said frame D and branreceptacle-supporting casing I upon saidturn- Witnesses:

G. N. WooDwARD, JEROME B. TABOUR. 

